Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell

2011 Seattle City Council Energy, Technology, and Civil Rights Committee Work Program

Energy

Reports and Metrics: Review regular reports to stay abreast of the financial health and operational performance of the utility.

Regional/National Issues: Monitoring efforts by the BPA to resolve Columbia Storage Treaty related transmission congestion issues and ensure that City Light rate payers are not unfairly burdened with the costs. Monitoring FERC decisions for impacts on the Northwest and on City Light. Monitoring the Western Climate Initiative and similar initiatives at the national level and provide policy support and direction to the utility as needed.

City Light Cost Allocation: Begin a review of City Light’s current cost allocation methodology, focusing especially on the continued use of unbundled Revenue Requirements.

City Light Rate Design: Consistent with the mandate of the City Light Review Panel, staff and support the Panel’s review of City Light’s Rate Design, focusing especially on ways to encourage the efficient use of electricity.

Strategic Plan: Review and assess the adequacy and appropriateness of City Light’s proposed strategic plan. Develop a work program and legislation as needed to support the Council’s direction.

City Light Review Panel: Support the Review Panel in its review of City Light’s strategic plan. Work with the Panel to establish and execute a process to educate rate payers about the nature and implications of the plan and to encourage feedback. Work with the Committee to review and approve new appointments to the Panel.

City Light’s BCL structure: Review City Light’s BCL structure to ensure that it provides the Council with the appropriate information and level of control over both Capital and O&M spending.

City Light Financial Policies: Review the performance of the new financial policies and recommend changes as appropriate.

Workforce Efficiency: Work with City Light and City Personnel to review existing work practices and to determine what changes in span of control and conditions of work may be necessary to improve the efficiency of City Light operations. Review City Light’s responses to existing benchmarks and the results of the proposed UMS benchmarking study.

Integrated Resource Planning (IRP), Conservation and Renewables: Provide policy guidance for development of the 2012 IRP. Assess the adequacy of the City Light’s plan for independent verification of conservation savings.

NODO Network/Substation: Review and guide City Light’s analysis of alternative approaches to meeting load in the NODO area in light of increasing load density and physical constraints resulting from zoning changes.

Boundary Dam Relicensing: Monitor relicensing activities including studies being performed as part of the pre-application document.

Citywide Undergrounding Policy: Work with City Light and the Law Department to develop criteria for when City Light utilities will be undergrounded and the appropriate sharing of costs when done as part of a larger City development project.

Technology

Public Engagement Portal Initiative: Monitor the Department of Information Technology’s (DoIT’s) implementation of the Public Engagement Portal Initiative: My.Seattle.gov and Seattle Speaks.

Apps for Seattle and Open Data Initiative: Provide policy guidance to DOIT regarding these programs, as needed. Respond to customer acceptance of Initiative.

Broadband Initiative: Monitor Executive progress on Broadband Initiative (for fiber to the neighborhood or home), including quarterly reports to the committee. Review and take action on proposed budget or other legislation as needed.

Low-Income Assistance for High-Speed Internet Access: Drive implementation of new assistance program for low-income households to obtain high-speed Internet access.

Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) System: Review the ongoing operations of DoIT’s Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) system; consider possible future expansion to add functions to CRM system.

Technology Grants: Review proposed legislation for grant awards.

Municipal Technology Strategic Review: Work with DoIT to evaluate and develop policies relative to new product implementation, software and product replacement, and interdepartmental coordination for new products and services that improves access to city information, government transparency, and enhancing the processes of providing basic services.

Strategic Policy for City Government Communications: Evaluate and develop policies and protocols relative to the City’s use of technology to disseminate public information with an emphasis on speed, reliability, and effectiveness.

Equal Access to Technology Initiative: Review policy and measurements for City’s efforts to ensure all residents have improved access to technology, and examine where technology access may be disproportionately denied.

Cable Franchises: Review cable franchises, with focus on customer service, and take action as needed. Review quarterly reports from the City’s Chief Technology Officer, as requested by Resolution 31015, related to the customer service performance of Broadstripe (formerly Millennium Digital Media Systems). Review status of Broadstripe since it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January 2009. Track the completion of Broadstripe’s Technical Audit due on May 10, 2012.

Cable Television Public Access Channel Operator: Review DoIT’s response to 2011 SLI 37-1-A-1. Monitor and give guidance to DoIT as it implements a new model for providing public access television in Seattle, including reviewing and giving input on a Request for Proposals (RFP), and reviewing DoIT’s proposed contract with the selected provider.

Cable Franchise Fee Revenue: Review proposal from DoIT and CTTAB about how best to spend the $182,000 in unallocated new revenue generated by an increase in the cable franchise fee rate. Candidates include the Technology Matching Fund grant program, and services to be provided by the public access television operator. Take action on proposed legislation to appropriate the new revenue.

Mobile Phone Applications to Access City Services: Work with DoIT to develop a plan to provide service for mobile phone applications that allow residents to report a City problem such as potholes, graffiti, streetlight outage, or abandoned vehicles.

Improve City Meetings by using Web Video Technology: Work with DoIT and other City departments to develop a plan to improve public access to boards and commission meetings and to support employee teleconferencing by using web video conferencing tools.

Track graffiti and trees by using mobile applications and web mapping tools: Work with DoIT and other City departments to develop a plan to engage the public in tracking and submitting information about graffiti and special trees by using mobile applications and online mapping tools.

Printing software to reduce paper usage: Work with DoIT and other City departments to evaluate installing software application that will further reduce paper usage.

Neighborhood Websites: Work with DoIT and the Department of Neighborhoods to develop a plan to help improve neighborhood council websites. Improving neighborhood council websites enhances public engagement and improves access to customer service.

Seattle Channel: Work with DoIT and Seattle Channel to monitor new online video captioning technology that automatically creates captions for uploaded videos. Seattle Channel videos can be uploaded to third-party website and improve accessibility to Seattle Channel videos.

Net Neutrality: Monitor the status of Net Neutrality issues by the Federal Communications Commission.

Civil Rights

Office for Civil Rights Updates: Receive updates from Office for Civil Rights on issues including enforcement rules, Race and Social Justice Initiative, and others.

Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI): Review RSJI 2011 work plan priorities and review RSJI mid-year progress report.

Boards and Commissions: Review 2011 work plans for the Human Rights Commission, Commission for People with Disabilities, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Commission, Women’s Commission and Immigrant and Refugee Commission.

Fair Housing and Employment Equity: Review proposals from the Seattle Human Rights Commission to modify Seattle’s fair housing and employment equity regulations.

Customer Service

Customer Access and Service Issues: Review the Dept. of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) efforts to coordinate improved customer service across all City departments. More specifically, evaluate the processes among the Customer Service Bureau, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle City Light, and Department of Neighborhoods, and how service requests are made, tracked, and completed.

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